The use of freezers in the home and food store is now wide-spread in most developed countries as is the attendant problem of defrosting. This operation is required to be undertaken every two weeks to three months depending upon the relative humidity of the atmosphere and the type and purpose of the equipment in use. For example the defrosting procedure will be required more frequently in open deck display freezers than in those of the closed chest freezer type.
Defrosting, whether it be in the home or food store, is always a wet and messy procedure which, if not accomplished in a short time, can result in severe temperature rises in the frozen food which, if no alternative cold storage is available, can lead to spoilage and health dangers. Many operators remove the food from the freezer to another place and then defrost the freezer with hot water and are thereby left with the task of carrying many buckets of water to a drain which is invariably some distance away; others allow the defrosting to occur naturally at ambient temperature and thereby place the frozen food at risk, while still being faced with the above mentioned problem, i.e., the removal of water to some sink or drain.